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barbara lee
Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Urge the President to Seek Congressional Authorization Before Using Military Force Against Syria
A bipartisan group of lawmakers - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) - issued the following statement urging the president to follow the Constitution and seek congressional authorization before taking military action against Syria:
"We are deeply concerned by reports that the president is considering military action against Syria without congressional authorization.
Apr 11, 2018
A bipartisan group of lawmakers - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) - issued the following statement urging the president to follow the Constitution and seek congressional authorization before taking military action against Syria:
"We are deeply concerned by reports that the president is considering military action against Syria without congressional authorization.
"The Constitution clearly gives Congress, not the executive branch, the power to authorize war. Any use of force against Syria requires approval from Congress first."
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Congresswoman Lee Slams Appointment of John Bolton as National Security Advisor
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement on the news that John Bolton will replace H.R. McMaster as the National Security Advisor:
"This is dangerous news for the country and the world. John Bolton was easily one of the most extreme, pro-war members of the Bush Administration. Just imagine what havoc he could wreak whispering in Donald Trump's ear.
"I hear the drumbeats of war."
Mar 23, 2018
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement on the news that John Bolton will replace H.R. McMaster as the National Security Advisor:
"This is dangerous news for the country and the world. John Bolton was easily one of the most extreme, pro-war members of the Bush Administration. Just imagine what havoc he could wreak whispering in Donald Trump's ear.
"I hear the drumbeats of war."
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee: The Trump Presidency Is an Assault on Our Democracy
Jan 30, 2018
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement on her decision not to attend the State of the Union:
"Since my election to Congress in 1998, I have attended every State of the Union. I have always believed that this event should be non-partisan because I respect the office of the Presidency. I will not attend this State of the Union because this president has not honored nor respected the office of the presidency and has shown a total disregard for our democratic institutions. From relentless attacks on the press to outrageous statements that undermine the intelligence community and the Russia investigation, and repeated threats to our judicial system, President Trump has launched an all-out assault on our democracy.
"President Trump's un-American approach to immigration -- most recently calling Africa, El Salvador and Haiti "s"-hole countries -- is racist and further demonstrates a lack of respect for the office of the presidency. His willingness to allow his Chief of Staff to lie about the good work of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, without requiring an apology, reflects a total disregard for the truth. This is yet another example of this president undermining the dignity of the highest office in our land. According to the Washington Post, over the last year President Trump has lied or misled the American people more than 2000 times, sending a message to our children that lying is acceptable.
"Whether it's his response to Charlottesville, embracing the alt-right agenda, reviving the failed War on Drugs, or ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, President Trump has established over 50 blatantly racist policies, reduced the standard of living for communities of color and dishonored the office of the presidency like no other president in our history. The president has also supported policies that rip healthcare from 13 million Americans and give tax breaks to billionaires and corporations while forcing middle and low income families to pay for it. He's led the effort to turn back the clock on women's rights and undermined civil and human rights.
"History has shown us that democracy is fragile. It can only be maintained by engaged citizens and elected officials who are willing to protect and preserve our sacred institutions. While I respect our democratic system, I cannot in good faith attend the State of the Union. Instead of listening to President Trump manufacture accomplishments, attack his political enemies and intentionally mislead the American people, I will join principled activists to strategize the next phase of resistance and our vision to move America forward."
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Congresswoman Lee Condemns FY2018 NDAA, Congressional Failure to Debate Wars
Applauds Passage of Amendment to Audit Pentagon Spending.
Nov 15, 2017
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement on the passage of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act:
"The National Defense Authorization Act should be a blueprint for drawing down our military conflicts and reining in bloated Pentagon spending. Instead, in the 2018 NDAA, Republican leadership has chosen to once again dodge any debate or vote on our perpetual wars and funnel billions more into the Pentagon's coffers. And I'm particularly outraged by the inclusion of $65.7 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations account - which functions as an off-the-books slush fund for war operations.
"However, I was pleased that the 2018 NDAA includes a critical amendment to help Congress assess the Pentagon's progress in achieving audit readiness. This bipartisan amendment, championed by Congressman Michael Burgess (R-TX) and myself, will help bring a measure of transparency on how taxpayer dollars are being spent at the Department of Defense. This amendment is critical step towards ending the toxic culture of waste, fraud and abuse at the Pentagon."
The amendment can be found here.
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